ENTERTAINMENT
The University Daily KANSAN
January 16, 1984 Page b
'Big Brother' has become big business in 1984
By LORI DODGE Staff Reporter
UDK 1/16/84
32,000 copies of the "1984 Commemorative Edition," 7,000 copies of a small paperback edition and 15,000 copies of the book's Cliffs Notes.
—from George Orwell's "1984"
As Orwelliania sweeps the country, ominous Big Brother posters might soon plaster many walls — especially since Big Brother has prover to be big business. Books, calendars, Tshirt items, banknotes, and the items that have been marketed to commemorate the arrival of Orwell's fateful year.
"a colored poster, too large for indoor display, had been tacked to the wall. It depicted simply an enormous face, more than a meter wide; the face of a man of about forty-five, with a heavy black muscade and ruggedly handsome features". "It was one of those pictures which are so contrived that you follow you about when you move. BIG BROTHER is WATCHING YOU, the caption beneath it ran."
Big Brother may soon be watching you, too.
Although "1984," was written 36 years ago, it managed to place 11th on the New York Time's
Peggy May, associate publicity manager for New American Library in New York, said the book usually sold about 4,800 copies a week. But, after having been sold out, the company has shipped about 60,000 copies a week.
Suprisingly, Orwellmannia was slow to catch on. May said she tried to solicit media attention for the book last summer, but book buyers were skeptical about public interest.
May said that just before Christmas, her phone began "rinsing off the wall."
As the public becomes more curious as to what Orwellmania is all about, supplies of the book become scarce.
Supplies are also running low at other area bookstores. Joey Mackender, manager of Town
Several classes at the University of Kansas have also caught Orwellmania. According to Steve Jewett, textbook manager for the Kansas Union Bookstore, this school year was the first class whose book was required reading for a class since 1799. Five classes have used the book this school year.
Adventure, a bookstore. 1010 Massachusetts,
St., is sold out of the book. Ry Brown, a sales
clerk, said that the store was on back order for
Crier, 830 Massachusetts St., said only 14 copies of "1984" remain on the its shelves.
Book companies will not be the only industry capitalizing on the popularity of the book. Theaters will also be able to reap profits when the movie version of the book is released in
In 1980, Marvin Rosenblum, a Chicago band, to make a move the break from Drozd's wide
After meeting with Sonia Brownell Orwell, Rosenblum conceived her that he could make a
October.
high quality film. He said that Orwell was skeptical because she did not like the 1956 movie version of the book which is now out of circulation.
But, Rosenblum impressed her with his knowledge of Orwell's writings and he assured her that he would be a great friend.
Rosenblum said that he was attracted to the idea of making another "1864" movie because of the marketability of the film — especially as the year 1984 approached.
As he reread the book, Rotenbauer became convinced that a 1964 movie would be a
The movie rights sold for between $150,000 and $300,000. Rosenblum said, but he would not answer questions about the film.
The mass media are not the only one cashing in on Orwellmania Merchandise related to "1984" has also made it to receptive markets. Mary Brown, a sales clerk at the Oread Bookshop in the Kansas Union, said two "1984" calendars have sold well this month the Orwellmania can buy a 1984 Big Brother poster calendar that looks like an American flag. The calendar includes more than 240 dates where the government intruded into American lives.
The calendar reminds people that Big Brother does not exist only in Orwell's book. For example, on April 1, the calendar mentions that 19 years ago President Lyndon Johnson secretly sent government troops to Vietnam. On December 3, the calendar reminds people that 19 years ago the CIA told President Ford that it conducted illegal domestic intrusions against dissidents.
Forum magazine, printed a list of smoopers devices that a suspicious spouse can use against their husband or wife in court. These new electronic gadgets allow eavesdropping between private citizens in the same vein as Big Brother's government eye.
Some of the "snoopware" on sale includes a $20 tape recorder that automatically turns on when the telephone is in use. Or for a $2.95, an overly curious person can use a "Lettorbomb Visualizer" spray that makes an envelope transparent long enough for the snoper to read what's happening inside. Night Vision Enhancer that makes it easier to see what's really gone in the moonlight.
But, for those who are counting the days for Orwellmania to end, relief is in sight. There are only 349 days until Jan. 1, 1985.
ON CAMPUS
TODAY
THE VISITING ARTIST SERIES presents
Hubert Mathys on the clarinet at 8 p.m. in
the Brunswick Opera House.
INVISIBLE IN AMERICA the photography of Marion
Kansas
Gallery. The exhibit will run until
"MICROCOMPUTER APPLICATIONS IN TRANSPORTATION" is a satellite video conference that will be received from Washington D.C. from 1 to 4 p.m. in 4007 Learned Hall. The conference is sponsored by the KU Transportation Center.
OPEN CALL AUDITIONS for "Theatre Pot-Pouri" and "The Skin of Our Teeth" will be at 7 onight and tomorrow in the old bank building at Eighth and Massachusetts streets.
LATIN AMERICAN SOLIDARITY is having an open house from 5 to 7 p.m. in their new office in 111-B of the Kansas Union. Information on the school and goals of the group will be available
TOMORROW
VISITING ARTISTS SERIES presents Marilyn Mason on the organ and the harpscord at 8 p.m. in Swarthout Recital Hall.
WOMEN IN COMMUNICATIONS INC. will meet at 4:15 p.m. in 2014 Stauffer-Flint Hall. The women who will attend the WERS will be held from 7 to 10 tonight and tomorrow in the Centennial Park of the Kansas Union.
DON LAMBERT, director of the Topeka Arts Council, will speak on "Elizabeth Layton: New Life Through Art," at 11:45 a.m. at the Ecumenical Christian Ministries, 204 Oread. To reserve a hot lunch, call 843-4933 by noon Tuesday.
Robert B. Waddill/KANSAN
Three Lawrence residents play crack-the-whip in Central Park at Sixth and Kentucky streets. Many enjoyed a day of ice-skating and hockey on the manmade pond supplied by the Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department.
Lawrence parks department helps ice-skating enthusiasts
By MELISSA BAUMAN
Staff Reporter
The Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department usually begins flooding two city parks in late December to accommodate ice skaters aspire to be like Peggy Fleming or Eric Gleason.
Lawrence is definitely not the center of traditional winter sports. The hills are not steep enough for downhill skiers, and students sled at their feet. The hill slope is still available in Lawrence — ice skating.
The ice in Central Park, at Sixth and Kentucky streets, and in Edgewood Park, at 15th and Brook streets, can be skated on. But skating at these two areas is rough because of snow and because skaters have roughed up the melting water in a stream, said John Ross, superintendent of recreation.
However, if the cold weather lasts, Ross said that the department would flood the area again soon to form a smooth layer of ice for patrons to skate on.
Ross said the parks department did not check the ice routinely to ensure that it was strong enough to hold skaters. But, the skating areas were covered in veined areas that can be seen from the streets.
Although the department posts no warning signs in the parks about the ice's safety, it does not. The department does not warn visitors.
The strength of the ice is usually tested by a courteous parks and recreation employee, who
will brave walking onto the ice. But, the employee need not worry because the ice is only about 10 inches deep.
Although Potter Lake is convenient for KU students, it is not safe for ice skating, said John Mullens, public safety coordinator for the KU police.
"Basically, over the years we have not recommended skating on Potter Lake at all. The water comes off an underground source and the temperature is about 10 degrees of temperature. And it makes for thin ice," he said.
Potter Lake also has no signs posted warning skaters about the safety of the ice. Mullen said that the lake was never checked for safety and there were reports of knowing whether the ice would hold him.
"You're either going to see cracks in the roof or you're going to get out on it and a section of it will be broken."
Mark McHenry, superintendent of park management for the Kansas City, Mo. Parks and Recreation District, said that four inches of hard, clear ice was sufficient to hold a skater, as long as the water was not fed by an underground spring.
"Ice can be of different qualities. If the lake is still and there is no snow or wind, hard, clear ice will form. Other than that, the snow will mix with water and melt." The weather change cause the water to freeze into waves," he said.
McHenry said that the best and only way to check for the safety of the ice was to drill a hole in the ice.
Opening night of play 'DADADADADA' marks high point of KU playwright's career
By PHIL ENGLISH Staff Reporter
For KU graduate student James Larson this weekend marked the high point of his life and his career
In the small, 100-seat Wonderhouse Theatre in New York, his musical, "DADADADADADA" opened off-off-Broadway Friday night. An off-off-Broadway show refers to a non-union showcase in which the actors perform in smaller theaters and receive less or no pay.
THE PLAY ALSO MARKED the fulfillment of a KU graduate's dream to direct an off-broadway play. Last year, Venetia Reece, a 1982 graduate from the University of Kansas, booked the Wonderhorse Theatre to stage one of Larson's play.
“It’s the highlight in any playwright’s career, to finally open off-off-Broadway,” he said. “It is a thrill to work with my favorites, especially the best from KU.”
Larson, author of the play, is also a speech and drama teaching assistant at the University of Kansas. He also directed the KU fall productions ADADADADA" and "The Great God Brown."
"I had seen the play done before, and I wanted the chance to bring it to New York," Reece said. "I think James is a brilliant writer, and if this play is going to bring us to bring some of our works to New York."
The play is set in 1916, when the Dada movement began, in Zurich, Switzerland. Five cast members portray 25 characters, including Charlie Hummel, a Juerga, Hugo Ball, Emmy Hemmings and Carl Jung.
protest what they believed were worn out traditions in art. Their art was often outrageous and playful. One example of Dada art is Marcel DuChamp's version of Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa." He painted her with a mustache to protest rising militarism.
Rapid costume changes and progressive music are used to distort time and show similarities between Dadaists of the early 1900s and those of today.
THE MUSICAL depicts the beginning of the destructive, revolutionary Dada movement. Dadism was begun by a group of artists in 1916 to
"It's a very contemporary musical," Reece said, her fast moving, and impossible to bore the audients.
Both the author and director thought the show's opening night was a success.
"I heard a lot of people saying they had to tell the friends about the play. It was very exciting."
"After the show, I walked around in the audience to see what the reaction was," Larson said. "No one knew who I was so I got to eavesdroon quite a bit.
Opening night was also special for Larson play involved many of his former KU classmate
RECEE MADE THE DECISION to use
several of her KU classmates in the production.
"I like to work with the people I'm already familiar with," she said. "I know their abilities and their temperament."
"It is time consuming and a needless risk to go
through a full audition, only to find that you cannot deal with the person."
Her University classmate's performing in the musical are: Cathy Paddok Hill, 1981 graduate from Prairie Village; Rusty Laushman, 1976 graduate of Cal State San Diego, co-elected, former KU special student from Utah.
Neufeld recounted some of her experiences working off-Broadway.
"Most actors would rather play off-Broadway than on. Broadway is big but has nothing to offer with much bite. When you re off-broadway, you can be more persuasive, you can be experimental and controversial."
"Working off Broadway is very tough for people. It can be hard of all people of do theatre not night, if they full (that)
"You're not making a ton of money, but you're making something reasonable," she said.
HILL. ON LEAVE OF absence from KU, is also working as a scenic artist for "Saturday Night Live" as well as the first national tour of the musical "Cats."
The scene and lighting designer for the play is Gregory Hill, KU associate professor of theatre. Karen Stroker, 1974 KU graduate from Overland Park, Nebraska, was a student of Lawrence University was written by Joanne Sunn. Lawrence junior.
BY BERKE BREATHED
BLOOM COUNTY
Larson said he wrote the musical for everyone, not just Dadaists.
"The political spirit of the Dadaists in 1916 is similar to the spirit of the younger people today," he said. "Everyone will be able to enjoy the historical aspects of the play."
"DADADAADADAA" is scheduled to run in New York from Jan. 19-22 and Jan. 26-29.